Quality Line of Carrefour Welcomes Fresh French Oysters to China

Consumers can shop in some Guangzhou Carrefour supermarkets for fresh French oysters now. Oysters are a new member of the group’s Quality Line, a brand established a few years ago, which includes fresh food from all over the world. These oysters come from Bretagne of France. They are inspected and transported to a local airport shortly after harvest. Then they are flown to China and delivered to various Carrefour supermarkets. These oysters and other fresh food from Quality Line target high-end consumers and they are becoming increasingly popular in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Increasing numbers of Chinese retailers are in the business of transborder e-commerce, but they mostly sell snacks, cosmetics and baby products, said the purchasing manager of fresh food for Carrefour in South China. There is a limited supply of fresh food. As the largest retailer in Europe, Carrefour is advantageous in sourcing oysters from Bretagne and then selling them to China. Its quality control system ensures that French farmers harvest oysters within three hours of rising tides every day. These oysters can be delivered to the doorstep of consumers in China’s first-tier cities in as fast as 36 hours. The delivery is even quicker than that to many Paris restaurants.

Guangdong people like eating seafood raw, which makes it easier for French oysters to enter that market. In addition to Guangzhou and Shenzhen of Guangdong, these oysters are also available in Carrefour supermarkets of Beijing and Shanghai. They are sold at two different sizes: One is about 90g to 110g per oyster, while the other is 75g to 90g each. The brand Quality Line has won recognition and trust of consumers after Carrefour’s years of hard work.

The French oysters are more expensive than ordinary seafood, so businesses mainly target high-end consumers, said the purchasing manager. High-end catering has been very popular within the past two years in yacht gatherings and other high-end business activities. Carrefour intends to further segment the market and provide customized products to consumers. It plans to sell these oysters through its online platform as well as other food delivery platforms in China. There is almost no need to worry about demand, but only supply and delivery of quality fresh food in this huge market.